Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Audio Lab albums I've presented in the past have always met a favourable reception. This post adds another nifty old slab to that collection. Released in 1960, AL 1523 features recordings originally from the 4 Star catalog by Webb Pierce, Marvin Rainwater, and Stuart Hamblen.
The early Webb Pierce titles were all recorded at the studios of radio station KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1950 featuring Buddy Attaway on guitar, Shot Jackson on steel, and Tillman Franks on bass. Of special note is "Groovy Boy" (originally released on 4 Star as "Groovie Boogie Woogie Boy"), an ode to a popular rhythm & blues DJ written and also recorded by Red Sovine. Ivan M. Tribe writes:Sovine also appeared often on personal appearances with Ray "Groovy Boy" Bartlett, a young KWKH deejay who made use of a pseudo-Negro accent to win a wide following among youth of both races in the Ark-La-Tex region. Red even had a song about him on MGM entitled "Groovy Boy."

A 1954 session at Ben Adelman Studios in Washington, D.C. yielded the four Marvin Rainwater tracks contained here. Wade Holmes plays lead guitar, Mickey Woodward steel, and the legendary Roy Clark plays bass. The identity of drummer and fiddler is unknown. This was a demo session; "I Gotta Go Get My Baby" was turned into a minor hit by Teresa Brewer in 1955 on Coral.
The final four tunes are by western singer turned gospel crusader Stuart Hamblen including his version of "Ace In The Hole", which I've always enjoyed. They are from a session in Hollywood in 1947, and feature backing by Hamblen's "Covered Wagon Jubilee Orchestra."

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Courtesy of the Attic's new friend DJ Dannyjazz comes this transfer of a rare Canadian country album, recorded for Art Snider's Canatal label in 1964. Notes on the back slick are as follows:

On this LP, CANATAL records presents the Seibert Brothers, "Sons of the Saddle" group, a unit that has often been referred to as Canada's number one country and western band. The band was formed in Calgary in 1950, and since that time has made a strong bid for recognition in the top circles of entertainment. For the next five years, the boys entertained in and around Calgary, in Radio, and dance work. Hereafter, the C.B.C. called them to Winnipeg to take over the chores on "Saddle Songs", a weekly TV and Radio Show. Three years later, the band moved to Toronto and the night club circuit, where they became a success in the medium in the Toronto and Hamilton area, and as far south and west as the State of Nevada. At the present time, the band is appearing in Toronto at the well-known El Mocambo Tavern and Supper Club. Here the boys have had a record breaking engagement of nearly two years. For this album, the group picked a dozen numbers that have all at one time or another made the country and western hit parade. The band now consists of Lenny, Vic, and Gene Siebert, Johnny Allen, Lucky Ambeault, and vocalist Diana Leah

Thanks once again to DJ Dannyjazz for sharing this great album!

Includes front and back jacket scans.

Tracks:

1. Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
2. Big River
3. Nova Scotia Home
4. One More Ride
5. Jimmy Martinez
6. Cattle Call
7. Have A Drink On Me
8. I'll Be Lonesome When You're Gone
9. Little Boy Lost
10. Heartaches By The Number
11. My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You
12. Crazy Arms